December 08, 2016

Everything was tucked into the greenhouse well before cold weather. What I didn't expect was that a chipmunk would move in as well. He managed to uproot several Christmas/Thanksgiving Cacti and a nice Burro Tail Sedum that was in a 3" pot. Mr. Chipmunk is no longer a guest in my greenhouse.

Only two colors of Cacti have bloomed so far. Others are starting to show a little color in the buds. I noticed that the big box store thinks highly of their Holiday Cactuses too and they're only barely in bud.

I can't see over into the Rabbit's Foot Fern so I held the camera up so I could see the 'feet.'

Some bromeliad bracts just hold on forever.

I've renovated some Burro Tail Sedum since squirrels played in them during the summer. Mistletoe Cactus had a better vacation outdoors and are plentiful.

I spent time today coaxing tomato vines away from the greenhouse walls so they don't freeze tomorrow night. It's a jungle ofLycopersicon esculentum in there.

The only plants still outside are potted Agapanthus that need to come on inside so we'll have early blooms. Maybe.

I need to tell you that upgrading to Windows 10 has caused havoc. I can no longer comment on blogs where I used to. I tried several different ways. If the program takes my comment at all, it disappears into the ether.

December 05, 2016

We've moved into typical Gulf Coast December weather, where there's fog at night and mist in the daytime. He-Who wonders about these things could not decide why we had no tomatoes in the fall.

Sure enough, as soon as night-time temperatures fell, we commenced to see small tomatoes. Pollen fails in heat. There are tomatoes that set fruit in hot weather but few are indeterminate types, which are necessary for continued growth and fruit set over months, even years.

Tomatoes are sharing space with Thanksgiving Cacti in bloom.

Holiday Cacti are sharing space with Hyacinths. My hyacinth trials using last years' bulbs that were allowed to grow on in their little pots were a success considering that many of them did set buds and bloom again after chill; a failure as far as size.

They have as great a fragrance as ever despite the small size and sparse blossoms. The bulbs will go into the garden after blooms fade.

Arrowhead vine and Foxtail fern keep company with Chlorophytum and a bromeliad decorated with a begonia flower.

Areca palm culm that I pulled out of the big pot by accident has made another plant. Rooted Persian Shield with Purple Heart and Purple Jew are crowded in with Begonias and Dark Alternanthera that grows in pots and in the floor at will.

Still outside awaiting a freeze to encourage dormancy are potted Agapanthus.

Inside, I'm waiting for the sun to shine. Maybe I'll make a fruitcake today.

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A gardeners garden is often like an artist's house. Messy, imperfect, but perfectly interesting. This garden is a wreck - as you will see, but while some may see only imperfection, others may see curious plants and an interesting life. Take your pick.